


Dressing Up

by Smirkdoctor (orphan_account)



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: F/F, Ficlet, It's a rare pair..., what's the pairing?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-08
Updated: 2016-10-08
Packaged: 2018-08-20 05:39:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8237971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/Smirkdoctor
Summary: Irene Adler dresses perfectly for every occasion. She once said that a disguise is always a self-portrait, which is why she specializes in *costuming*. She gains her strength and protects her deepest desires by donning a steel shell of dominance.Running her fingertips over lace, silk, and leather, she considers the options. She wants tonight to be special; she’s ruminated on it for so long, luxuriating in the detailed plan, the unknown possibilities. To have things truly go her way, she’ll need to display more of herself, allow that self-portrait to show through. She’s donned her battle dress before, but that’s not quite right for tonight.  Tonight is Halloween, and dressing up is de rigueur, even if her target isn’t expecting her.





	

October 31, 2010

Irene Adler dresses perfectly for every occasion. She once said that a disguise is always a self-portrait, which is why she specializes in *costuming*. She gains her strength and protects her deepest desires by donning a steel shell of dominance.

Running her fingertips over lace, silk, and leather, she considers the options. She wants tonight to be special; she’s ruminated on it for so long, luxuriating in the detailed plan, the unknown possibilities. To have things truly go her way, she’ll need to display more of herself, allow that self-portrait to show through. She’s donned her battle dress before, but that’s not quite right for tonight. Tonight is Halloween, and dressing up is de rigueur, even if her target isn’t expecting her.

She breathes in through slightly parted lips painted crimson, letting the air back out on a warm, low hum. Her target, at the center of her thoughts for months now, is someone she was introduced to by Jim Moriarty, in exchange for highly sensitive information from a lower minister of Parliament. She smiles, remembering the conversation. At first, Jim had seemed so angry when she called to share, as if she were interrupting something …important. But as she sketched the breadth of the intrigue, he had brightened, easily bantering about the person who’d been taking up his time and energy lately.

Closing her eyes, Irene brings to mind that first picture Jim shared. Beautiful pale skin contrasted with wide, innocent eyes, filled with intelligence but utterly lonely. Irene wasn’t aiming to alleviate the loneliness, at least not in the long-term, but she could be a help with innocence. She liked to play out scenarios as she ran blood-red nails over her collected photographs of that face, investing time and thought on how to make it memorable, enjoyable for both of them. After all, brainy was the new sexy. 

Thinking back to the lower minister of Parliament and some creative knots that came into play that evening, she turns away from the long rack of clothing Kate had assembled for her in their temporary lodging. She focuses on her supply of rope, running her fingers along a silky-strong, shiny black nylon cord. She runs the cord lightly along her lips, watching herself in her full-length mirror and thinking that the midnight color contrasts beautifully with her red lipstick.

She feels a warm, dark pressure begin low in her abdomen as she considers the options, ties she could use tonight that had proved particularly successful in the past. She imagines black cord around slim ankles and bony wrists, well-manicured nails curling into palms as her partner makes nominal struggles against the bonds.

She gasps and drops the cord as the scenario flips, feeling her nipples harden at the concept. She is a dominatrix, hired to control the situation, the room, the scene. But her most intimate secret is that, when it comes to her own sexual pleasure, she likes to give up control.

Finally decided on costuming for tonight, she calls for Kate, ignoring the obvious jealousy in the other woman’s eyes. Kate can get her kicks preparing her for tonight, tying snug knots against her bare skin to construct the intricate Shibari weave that will be the only thing she wears this evening. Indeed, a disguise, at its base, is a self-portrait. For this holiday, she is dressing as a submissive.

*******

She carefully weaves through back alleys to the address she knows by heart, staying in the shadows to avoid notice, turning up the collar on her ivory-colored trench coat, avoiding puddles that could discolor the red bottoms of her four-inch stilettos. As she finally arrives, she collects herself, loosening the coat’s ties, straightening her shoulders, and setting a simper on her mouth. She knocks lightly and works to calm her breathing.

Footsteps approach and the door swings open, and suddenly she is gazing at that expressive face. She opens her coat and stunned eyes drop down her body then slowly return from their excursion up her frame. Irene’s simper turns into a smile as she places additional cord and a riding crop into waiting hand and steps through the entrance.

“Hello, Molly.”

*******

December 24, 2010

Molly thought long and hard about her outfit for Sherlock and John’s Christmas party. Ever since her night with Irene Adler, she associates black and red with sensuality, confidence... dominance. So tonight, she has wrapped herself in reminders of that pleasure, and she is determined to finally tell Sherlock how she feels. But his arrogance is more insulting than usual, and is followed by the appearance of a small red package tied in a familiar style with rope she knows intimately. The lust hits her so hard, she had to catch her breath and gulp some wine.

**Author's Note:**

> So there we are. My first fic for the Sherlock fandom, and it's a femslash rarepair.
> 
> I had intended to maybe sorta add some smut, but Point of Maximal Impulse ate my brain. It's entirely possible I'll come back and extend this work, but I wanted to get it up for the Halloweenlock collection.
> 
> Beta'd by my sweetie mandysimo13.
> 
> Come over to my tumblr at sweeter-than-cynicism if you ever want to talk. :)


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